diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 77a7f089cab..9b3d6853c72 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ This release also implements some other Zcash consensus rules, to check that
 Zebra's [validation architecture](#architecture) supports future work on a
 full validating node:
 - block and transaction structure
-- checkpoint-based verification up to Canopy
+- checkpoint-based verification up to and including Canopy activation
 - transaction validation (incomplete)
 - transaction cryptography (incomplete)
 - transaction scripts (incomplete)
diff --git a/book/src/dev/rfcs/0005-state-updates.md b/book/src/dev/rfcs/0005-state-updates.md
index e169a33d5cd..cd5c41021f6 100644
--- a/book/src/dev/rfcs/0005-state-updates.md
+++ b/book/src/dev/rfcs/0005-state-updates.md
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ chain and updates all side chains to match.
 
 Commit `block` to the non-finalized state.
 
-1. If the block is a pre-Canopy block, panic.
+1. If the block is a pre-Canopy block, or the canopy activation block, panic.
 
 2. If any chains tip hash equal `block.header.previous_block_hash` remove that chain from `self.chain_set`
 
diff --git a/book/src/dev/zebra-checkpoints.md b/book/src/dev/zebra-checkpoints.md
index 57b364c9342..b941c7451fa 100644
--- a/book/src/dev/zebra-checkpoints.md
+++ b/book/src/dev/zebra-checkpoints.md
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 `zebra-checkpoints` uses a local `zcashd` instance to generate a list of checkpoints for Zebra's checkpoint verifier.
 
 Developers should run this tool every few months to add new checkpoints for the `checkpoint_sync = true` mode.
-(By default, Zebra syncs up to Canopy using checkpoints. These checkpoints don't need to be updated.)
+(By default, Zebra syncs to Canopy activation using checkpoints. These checkpoints don't need to be updated.)
 
 For more information on how to run this program visit [Zebra checkpoints document](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/tree/main/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/README.md)
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/block/commitment.rs b/zebra-chain/src/block/commitment.rs
index 7d01a95bc2c..7fc1f21c788 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/block/commitment.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/block/commitment.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ pub enum Commitment {
     /// chain history hash in their activation block, via the previous block
     /// hash field.)
     ///
+    /// Since Zebra's mandatory checkpoint includes Canopy activation, we only
+    /// need to verify the chain history root from `Canopy + 1 block` onwards,
+    /// using a new history tree based on the `Canopy` activation block.
+    ///
+    /// NU5 and later upgrades use the [`ChainHistoryBlockTxAuthCommitment`]
+    /// variant.
+    ///
     /// TODO: this field is verified during contextual verification
     ChainHistoryRoot(ChainHistoryMmrRootHash),
 
@@ -71,8 +78,10 @@ pub enum Commitment {
     /// - the auth data merkle tree covering this block.
     ///
     /// The chain history Merkle Mountain Range tree commits to the previous
-    /// block and all ancestors in the current network upgrade. The auth data
-    /// merkle tree commits to this block.
+    /// block and all ancestors in the current network upgrade. (A new chain
+    /// history tree starts from each network upgrade's activation block.)
+    ///
+    /// The auth data merkle tree commits to this block.
     ///
     /// This commitment supports the FlyClient protocol and non-malleable
     /// transaction IDs. See ZIP-221 and ZIP-244 for details.
diff --git a/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/README.md b/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/README.md
index 402d2445576..9da8a77699f 100644
--- a/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/README.md
+++ b/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/README.md
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 # Zebra checkpoints
 
-Zebra validates pre-Canopy blocks using a list of `Mainnet` and `Testnet` block hash checkpoints:
+Zebra validates pre-Canopy blocks, and the Canopy activation block, using a list of `Mainnet` and `Testnet` block hash checkpoints:
 
 - [Mainnet checkpoints](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/blob/main/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/main-checkpoints.txt)
 - [Testnet checkpoints](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/blob/main/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/test-checkpoints.txt)
 
-Zebra can also be configured to use these checkpoints after Canopy:
+Zebra can also be configured to use these checkpoints after Canopy activation:
 ```
 [consensus]
 checkpoint_sync = true
 ```
+
 ## Update checkpoints
 
 Checkpoint lists are distributed with Zebra, maintainers should update them about every few months to get newer hashes. Here we explain how this process is done.
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ It is easier if `zcash-cli` is in your execution path however you can specify th
 Lets pretend `106474` is the last height from the mainnet list, to get the next ones we will run:
 
 ```
-$ ../target/release/zebra-checkpoints -l 106474 
+$ ../target/release/zebra-checkpoints -l 106474
 106517 00000000659a1034bcbf7abafced7db1d413244bd2d02fceb6f6100b93925c9d
 106556 000000000321575aa7d91c0db15413ad47451a9d185ccb43927acabeff715f6d
 106604 00000000293cea40c781a3c8a23d45ae53aa6f18739d310e03bd745f7ec71b14
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ $ ../target/release/zebra-checkpoints -l 106474
 107037 000000006ad5ccc970853e8b96fe5351fcf8c9428e7c3bf6376b1edbe115db37
 107088 000000005d71664dc23bcc71482b773de106c46b6ade43eb9618126308a91618
 107149 000000002adb0de730ec66e120f8b77b9f8d05989b7a305a0c7e42b7f1db202a
-... 
+...
 ```
 
 If we are looking to update the testnet hashes we must make sure the cli is connected with a testnet chain. If we have our `zcashd` running locally we can make this by starting with `zcashd -testnet`.
@@ -61,5 +62,5 @@ $ ../target/release/zebra-checkpoints -- -testnet
 ```
 ### Submit new hashes as pull request
 
-- If you started from a block different than the genesis append the obtained list of hashes at the end of the existing files. If you started from genesis you can replace the entire list files.  
-- Open a pull request with the updated lists into the zebra `main` branch. 
+- If you started from a block different than the genesis append the obtained list of hashes at the end of the existing files. If you started from genesis you can replace the entire list files.
+- Open a pull request with the updated lists into the zebra `main` branch.
diff --git a/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/list/tests.rs b/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/list/tests.rs
index fa19a6294f9..8116a376321 100644
--- a/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/list/tests.rs
+++ b/zebra-consensus/src/checkpoint/list/tests.rs
@@ -250,7 +250,8 @@ fn checkpoint_list_hard_coded_canopy_testnet() -> Result<(), BoxError> {
     checkpoint_list_hard_coded_canopy(Testnet)
 }
 
-/// Check that the hard-coded lists cover the Canopy network upgrade
+/// Check that the hard-coded lists cover the Canopy network upgrade, and the
+/// Canopy activation block
 fn checkpoint_list_hard_coded_canopy(network: Network) -> Result<(), BoxError> {
     zebra_test::init();
 
@@ -262,7 +263,7 @@ fn checkpoint_list_hard_coded_canopy(network: Network) -> Result<(), BoxError> {
 
     assert!(
         list.max_height() >= canopy_activation,
-        "Pre-Canopy blocks must be verified by checkpoints"
+        "Pre-Canopy blocks and the Canopy activation block must be verified by checkpoints"
     );
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/zebra-consensus/src/config.rs b/zebra-consensus/src/config.rs
index 0ad6ac8f75a..ba03da9935b 100644
--- a/zebra-consensus/src/config.rs
+++ b/zebra-consensus/src/config.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     /// Should Zebra sync using checkpoints?
     ///
     /// Setting this option to true enables post-Canopy checkpoints.
-    /// (Zebra always checkpoints on Canopy activation.)
+    /// (Zebra always checkpoints up to and including Canopy activation.)
     ///
     /// Future versions of Zebra may change the mandatory checkpoint
     /// height.
diff --git a/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state.rs b/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state.rs
index 5e695b067b4..0de26391799 100644
--- a/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state.rs
+++ b/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state.rs
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ impl NonFinalizedState {
         let (height, hash) = (prepared.height, prepared.hash);
 
         let canopy_activation_height = Canopy.activation_height(self.network).unwrap();
-        if height < canopy_activation_height {
+        if height <= canopy_activation_height {
             panic!(
-                "invalid non-finalized block height: the canopy checkpoint is mandatory, pre-canopy blocks must be committed to the state as finalized blocks"
+                "invalid non-finalized block height: the canopy checkpoint is mandatory, pre-canopy blocks, and the canopy activation block, must be committed to the state as finalized blocks"
             );
         }